There's something rather wonderful about giving an old building a new purpose.

When I first imagined the Creative Sanctuary, I wanted more than a place to teach felting classes or display my artwork. I wanted a place where creativity could have room to breathe. Somewhere people could step away from the noise of everyday life, slow down, work with their hands, and perhaps discover a little something about themselves along the way.

Finding that space in a century-old church, surrounded by the wheat fields of Eastern Washington, seemed especially fitting. For generations, this building has been a place where people gathered, found community, and took time for reflection. My hope is that the Creative Sanctuary will continue that tradition, just in a slightly different way.

After months of bringing this old building back to life, I'm delighted to finally open the doors and invite you inside.

Below is our official grand opening announcement. I hope you'll join me on November 14 to see what we've been creating here.

Historic Hartline Church Finds New Life as a Creative Sanctuary

Felt Art Studio celebrates the grand opening of a unique rural destination for art, creativity, and quiet reflection on November 14.

HARTLINE, WASHINGTON — A century-old church in the small agricultural community of Hartline, Washington, is beginning a new chapter. On Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., fiber artist Emily Bradley will welcome visitors to the grand opening of the Creative Sanctuary, a thoughtfully restored space dedicated to art, learning, and the simple pleasure of making something by hand.

Located at 138 Range Street in Hartline, the congregation of St. Patrick Catholic Church utilized the building for parish worship and community gatherings until November 2017, when the Diocese of Yakima officially closed the location. For more than a century, the building has been part of the community's history. Today, its historic character provides the setting for a different kind of gathering place—one where creativity, curiosity, and personal reflection are encouraged.

Surrounded by the quiet landscape and rolling wheat fields of Eastern Washington, the Creative Sanctuary offers visitors an opportunity to step away from the distractions of everyday life. The rural setting is an intentional part of the experience, allowing time for solitude, creative exploration, and the renewal that often comes from working with one's hands.

"Creativity needs room to breathe," says Bradley. "I wanted to create a place where people could leave the noise of everyday life behind, explore something new, and discover what they're capable of making. You don't have to arrive with a plan or consider yourself an artist. You just have to be curious."

Bradley, a fiber artist with more than 30 years of experience, specializes in three-dimensional wool sculptures inspired by nature, human connection, and the little stories people carry with them. Her work ranges from tiny, palm-sized companions to elaborate custom family trees, each created by hand with patience, imagination, and a touch of whimsy.

The Creative Sanctuary is also home to Felt Art Studio, where Bradley offers needle-felting and wet-felting workshops for beginners and experienced makers alike. Rather than following rigid patterns, participants are encouraged to understand their materials, experiment with techniques, and develop confidence in their own creative decisions.

In addition to scheduled workshops, the studio will host Sanctuary Saturdays, free monthly creative gatherings held on the second Saturday of each month. Visitors are invited to bring their own projects, enjoy the company of fellow makers, and spend time creating without the structure of a formal class.

The November 14 grand opening offers an opportunity to tour the restored building, meet the artist, view original wool sculptures, learn about upcoming classes, and discover what makes the Creative Sanctuary a distinctive addition to Eastern Washington's arts community.

Grand Opening Details

• Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
• Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Location: Creative Sanctuary at Felt Art Studio
• Address: 138 Range Street, Hartline, WA
• Admission: Free and open to the public
• Website: www.FeltArtStudio.com

 About Felt Art Studio and the Creative Sanctuary

Founded by fiber artist Emily Bradley, Felt Art Studio celebrates the art of creating with wool through original sculptures, custom commissions, and hands-on education. Located in a restored 1910 church in Hartline, Washington, the Creative Sanctuary provides a welcoming setting for creative discovery, artistic expression, and quiet reflection. Its guiding philosophy is simple: creativity is not about following a pattern perfectly, but discovering what is possible through making.